Cougars, Lancers finish No. 1-2 at VWI

Van Wert independent sports

On a somewhat chilly, wet and overcast morning Van Wert and Lincolnview boys finished No. 1 and 2 at the Van Wert Health Cross Country Invitational held in Van Wert on Saturday.

The Cougars won the team title with 48 points while Lincolnview finished with 83 points. Crestview finished ninth out of 15 teams.

Van Wert had a trio of runners place in the top 10. Hunter Sherer finished fourth with a time of 17:01.5, Gage Wannemacher was sixth (17:15.9) and Gage Springer placed 10th (17:31.7). Drew Laudick was 15th (17:47.7) and John Kramer (18th, 18:07.8) rounded out the scoring for the Cougars.

Jackson Robinson was Lincolnview’s highest placer, finishing 11th with a time of 17:34.3. Josh Haines was 17th (18:06.1), followed by Conner Balduaf (19th, 18:08.2), Evan Johns (18:08.7) and Kreston Tow (21st, 18:22.1). In addition, Daegan Hatfield recorded an identical time to Tow.

Crestview’s Hayden Tomlinson and Isaiah Watts finished 28th and 29th with times of 18:34.8 and 18:36.1, followed by Logan Foudy (59th, 19:41.8), Gavin Grubb (99th, 21:05.8) and Nolan Walls (105th, 21:25.2).

Perry’s Braden Yingst won the individual title in 15:45.9, far outdistancing the runner-up, Hayden Schmidt of Anna (16:33.2).

Anna won the girls’ team title with 62 points, followed by Shawnee (76) and Parkway (122). Van Wert and Lincolnview finished seventh and eighth with 146 and 191 team points.

Kyra Welch led the Lady Cougars with a sixth place finish (20:49.8), followed by Tyra McClain (19th, 21:44.9), Alyssa Knittle (31st, 22:27.1), Lexi Deitemeyer (54th, 24:22.7) and Emma Dolan (60th, 24:53.7).

Julia Stetler was Lincolnview’s highest placer, finishing 25th overall with a time of 21:59.7. Olivia Snyder finished 40th (23:00.2), followed by Kendall Coil (45th, 23:18.9), Lindsey Hatcher (49th, 23:49.9) and Emma Hatcher (62nd, 24:56.9).

Crestview had four runners compete. Lauren Walls led the Lady Knights with a 33rd place finish (22:37.5), followed by Kate Sawmiller (57th, 24:36.7), Baylee Miller (64th, 25:07.2) and Alexis Flagg (95th, 28:21.4).

Ottawa-Glandorf’s Alexa Fortman won the individual title (19:37.2), followed by Taylor Spencer of Waynesfield-Goshen (19:41.4).

Along with the varsity results, Lincolnview won the junior high girls title, followed by Crestview and Van Wert. Lincolnview’s Brynleigh Moody won the individual title (12:55.1) while Keira Breese finished third (13:28.6). Anna Gardener was Crestview’s top finisher (fourth, 13:55.8) and Harmony Schuerman led Van Wert with an eighth place finish (14:06.8).

The Lancers also won the junior high boys title and Van Wert was the runner-up. Crestview finished fifth.

Van Wert’s Draydon Hoffman was the individual champion (12:03.7) and Gavin Evans was the runner-up (12:05.8). Crestview’s Andrew Heth finished fourth overall (12:08).